Historical figure: Gwangjong As a true fan of Tung Hua's novel "Amazing Everywhere" and its Chinese adaptation, I decided to watch the South Korean drama "Scarlet Heart". Although initially I did not plan to do this, as I was afraid to spoil the impression of the original. However, I was wrong. The series "Scarlet Heart" can hardly be called a remake: the only thing that connects it with the Chinese adaptation is the idea of teleportation in time and the very fact that a girl from the future is involved in palace intrigues. Otherwise, the Korean version differs from its predecessor. In addition, I was pleasantly surprised by the acting, and not only Lee Jun Ki shines with talent. In my opinion, even IU is doing an excellent job with the role, which, by the way, I did not expect. However, let's not talk about it for now, because the topic of our conversation is "Historical Figure". So, from the very beginning of "Scarlet Hearts" the main character stubbornly repeats the name of Emperor Gwangjon - fratricide and murderer. And if you watch the series carefully, just like me, you already know that his role is played by Lee Jun Ki. So who is Gwangjong? Kwangjong is the fourth emperor of the Korean state of Korea, who ruled from 950-975. He is the fourth child of the founder of the Wang Dynasty and the Kingdom of Goryeo, Emperor Taejo. Prince Wang So was born in December 925 on the territory of what is now North Korea, to be more precise, in the province of Hwanghae-bukto. According to the surviving annals of that time, from childhood, the future emperor differed from his brothers not only in his inventive mindset, but also in his particular cruelty (it was rumored that he had a curse that could destroy the country). Prince Wang So showed his strong character later, after he ascended the throne: he did not spare political rivals, brutally cracking down on them, thereby escalating the atmosphere of general fear in the circles of power. Emperor Taejo died in 943. According to the last will of the deceased ruler, his first son, Prince Wang Mu, also known as Emperor Hyejong, ascended the throne. The heir was supported by a clique of influential nobles, led by a landowner from Hyesong County. However, the opponents of the new emperor were much stronger. Hyejong's main opponent in the struggle for the throne was Wang Gyu, an aristocrat from the southern part of the Hangang Valley, whose two daughters were the spouses of Wang Gon, and the third was the wife of Wang Mu. The main goal of the nobleman was the overthrow of the current reigning emperor and the erection of one of his daughter's sons in his place. The insidious plan of Wang Gyu practically came true: in 945, Hyejong died, according to the official version, from a severe nervous breakdown. However, at that moment, the ruler of Pyongyang intervened in the game, who, through armed clashes, elevated to the throne the third son of Wang Gon, Prince Yeo, known by the posthumous name Cheongjon. Wang Gu and all his supporters, including one of the princes (to be honest, I could not find his exact name) were executed. Jeongjong surpassed his predecessor in terms of tenure on the throne by only a few years. In 949, he died under mysterious circumstances: according to the official version, he was mortally frightened by lightning that struck one of the palace pavilions (quite strange, don't you think?). After that, power passed to the fourth son of Wang Gong - Prince Wang So, known by the posthumous name Gwangjong. On one Chinese site, I read that some historians are of the opinion that it was Wang So who had a hand in the death of his own elder brother, Emperor Jeongjong. I cannot verify the validity of these arguments, so we can only guess. But as Prince Yeo said: "Was there an emperor in Goryeo who did not kill his brothers in the struggle for the throne?" Gwangjong came to power during a period of political unrest: the numerous clans that Taejo united were constantly fighting for power, and the throne was constantly under threat. Recognizing the need to create a stable government, Gwangjong enacted a series of laws designed to centralize power and weaken the power of the feudal lords. The famous Korean politician and poet of the Goryeo period, Choi Seungro (927–989), divided the period of Gwangjong's reign into three stages: 1) grouping of forces; 2) strengthening of power; 3) weakening of positions. In the early stages of Gwangjong's reign, power was concentrated primarily in the hands of the powerful Goryeo clans. In order to get closer to the people, thereby enlisting their support, the emperor resorted to a little trick: he began to actively preach Buddhism. Religion was able to bring the Son of the Dragon closer to the subjects, and then Gwangjong began to take action. Starting in 955, the emperor began to carry out reforms designed to strengthen his power. First, Gwangjong expelled the wealthy clans from the Goryeo court by establishing a national civil forensic service in 958. Secondly, he introduced a system of examinations for the civil service, which was used for a millennium. Thirdly, in 956, Gwangjong enacted a law on "checking the status of slaves": all peasants illegally enslaved in the troubled times of Late Silla and early Goryeo by the nobility were granted the status of "commoner", thereby freeing them from slave duties to the owner. The turning point in Gwangjong's politics came in 960. Due to the emperor's aggressive attitude towards the nobility and the constant reforms that oppressed their power, the powerful Goryeo clans began to rebel. They realized that if Gwangjong was not overthrown, he would destroy them. However, the uprisings were crushed before the fire could flare up. The emperor did not spare anyone: the rebels were executed or repressed, including the murders of Prince Heunghwa, the first son of Hyejong, and Prince Gyeongchonwan, the first son of Jeongjon. In order to prevent unrest from growing with greater force, Gwangjong begins to conduct regular "purges": all objectionable, whether they are high-ranking officials, military leaders or commoners, were repressed or killed. The chronicles of those years say: "children reported on their fathers, and slaves - on their masters." Toward the end of his reign, Gwangjong began to pay more and more attention to Buddhism. New monasteries were built in the capital and ritual ceremonies were performed with unusual pomp. The main reason for this behavior of the emperor is considered to be his desire to strengthen the image of the ruler as the patron of the Buddhist faith, which was supposed to provide wide support for the reforms. However, there is an opinion that in this way Kwangjong tried to atone for his subjects, whose lives he crippled or took away. Some historians argue that he sought psychological compensation in a fanatical adherence to the tenets of the Buddhist religion. In 975, Gwangjong fell ill and died a few days later. The exact cause of the death of the emperor has not yet been established. It is possible that he also suffered the fate of his older brothers: Hyejong and Jeongjon. Gwangjong was succeeded by his first son, Gyeongjong, who ruled from 975 to 981. The new ruler continued his father's policy, while heading for the "detente" of the tense situation. And the sixth ruler of Goryeo was Seonjong - the son of the 8th prince Wang Wook and the husband of the third daughter of Gwangjon. It is worth noting that, unlike Taejo, who had more than 30 wives, Gwangjong had only two spouses: the first wife of the emperor was the half-sister - Princess Hwangbo (yes, she was played in the drama by actress Kang Hanna), also known as Queen Taemok -wanghu, the second wife was Princess Gyeonghwagyeong - the daughter of Hyejong. Kwangjong also had surprisingly few children for the emperor: two sons and three daughters, and the youngest son died in infancy. In general, despite the repression, the period of Gwangjong's reign is considered one of the most successful in the history of Goryeo. The followers of the fourth emperor developed additional rules that allowed Goryeo to become a strong centralized state in accordance with the Confucian model, with a unified system of power. So, from all of the above, the conclusion suggests itself: Gwangjong, like most great rulers, was an ambiguous personality. With his reforms, he was able to raise the state of Goryeo to a new level, but the repression carried out during his reign significantly reduced the positive effect of innovations. Finally, I would like to add that Lee Jun Ki is not the first actor who had to play the role of Kwangjong. For the first time, this character appeared on the small screen in 2000 in the series "Emperor Wang Gon", in which he was played by Chi Woo. In 2002, the drama "Rise of an Empire" began to air on KBS1, where Kim Sang-jun played the role of Kwang-jong. The next appearance of the emperor on television was in 2009 in the TV series Iron Empress, in which he was played by Jung Seung Woo. And in 2015, Jang Hyuk played the role of the cruel Prince Wang So in the drama Shine or Go Crazy.
After getting acquainted with South Korean cinema, or rather, with the drama "Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart: Goryeo", I became interested in the history of this country and the era of Goryeo in particular. I did not come across a suitable selection of films, so I created my own.
Considering that according to the rules of the site it will be impossible to supplement and edit the collection after it goes for moderation, I will consider your comments (remarks or additions) as its continuation. This includes films and dramas related to the Goryeo era in one way or another.
As a small characteristic of the era - a historical background.
koryo- a state on the Korean Peninsula that appeared after the fall of the Silla state in 935 (XV century) and existed until the accession of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392 (XIV century). Wang Gon - the first ruler of a unified Korea, the founder of the Wang dynasty and the state of Korea. The capital of the first Korean state was moved to the homeland of Wang Gon in the city of Kaesong (now it is located on the territory of the DPRK).
The name "Goryeo" is short for Goguryeo, one of the three early feudal states of Korea, united by Silla in 668. The modern word "Korea" comes from "Koryo".
The unification of the later three Korean states in 936 was very important in the history of Korea. Despite the past, after the unification of Korea under the rule of a single ruler, Wang Gong, the Koreans came to an agreement to live together as a single nation in a single state. Korea remained unified for a millennium, until the division of the state into North and South Korea in 1948. Modern Koreans honor the memory of Wang Gong as the unifier of the nation, especially during the current conflict.
Van Gon had many wives, because he entered into arranged marriages with all the leaders of local clans in order to avoid civil strife. This brought Van Gong a large number of supporters, but at the same time, a huge number of close nobles (inner circle) and pretenders to the throne. Van Gon had 29 wives and 35 official children. Society during the Goryeo era was relaxed and open. Compared to other eras, Goryeo was quite open in terms of the relationship between men and women. There were divorces and remarriages. Therefore, during this period there were many divorced people who often remarried, because of which they had many children. There were no laws like in the Joseon (later era) that discriminated against children born from remarriages. For comparison, in Korea, equality between men and women was more tangible, they had equal rights, had equal status in the family. Women could be the head of the family, daughters and sons had equal opportunities to inherit property.
After Wang Gong's death, he received the posthumous name Taejo - the Great Progenitor.
In order to strengthen the power of the central government, the fourth king of the dynasty, Gwangjong, issued several decrees, including the emancipation decree of 958 and the decree on the mandatory examination for civil servants, which is still in use today. Gwangjong also declared himself emperor, independent of any other countries.
By the XII century, undermined by endless wars, as well as peasant uprisings, Koryo began to weaken. A formidable and dangerous enemy was approaching - the Mongol hordes. True, conquering Koryo was not easy for them either. Goryeo only fell after a fierce series of battles from 1231-1259.
Goryeo's dependence on the Mongols was an ordeal for the country for more than a century. The Mongols interfered in the affairs of the royal court and the administration of the country. The Koryo sovereigns were obliged to marry Mongol princesses. The country was forced to pay a huge tribute and send its artisans, girls for harems, to Mongolia.
The Korean people did not reconcile themselves to the Mongol yoke; the conquerors were restless within Koryo. With the weakening of the Mongol Empire, the increase in uprisings in China in the XIV century. The Mongols lost control of Korea.
In 1392, General Yi Song Gi overthrew the last Korean monarch and brutally cracked down on his supporters. The Yi Dynasty was founded and ruled over Korea for more than five centuries, until it was colonized by Japan in 1910. The state was renamed Joseon, and its capital was moved to today's Seoul.
The film is called 달의 연인 - tare yong in - Moonlight Lovers. 달 -tal - Moon.
I would like to first talk about the names, so that it is clear how they are composed. The founder of the Goryeo Dynasty and the father of all princes was named 태조왕건-Tae Jo Wang Gun. That is, "Founder of the Wang Gong Dynasty." In the name of all princes there is a particle 왕 - wang - king. These are Wang So, Wang Jeong and others. That is, the names differed from each other only in the second semantic particle. Wang Suo's particle "So" 昭 meant bright. The hieroglyph So is based on - the Sun - and - Convoke / Collect. That is, the rays of the Sun penetrate into remote corners and reveal the real truth to the world. A wonderfully meaningful name. Wang So really had an outstanding appearance and intelligence. All events, transfers of the throne and marriages are real. Of course, there is a fictional character - a modern girl, but we all know that usually behind the bright men in history there was an equally outstanding woman. It could be a concubine 첩-chhop or some 11th wife. We will never know about it.
So, about names. But only older younger ones are called by name. The younger ones usually refer to the older ones by social status. For example 형 - hyung - older brother.
And when the princes talked about each other, they used only the second part of the name, removing Van. That is, about Wang So they said So, about Wang Jeong - Jeong. And the case 가 - ka is added to the name, after the vowel it sounds like -ga. That is 소가-so ga. The same with the name 혜수 -Hye Soo. We remove the first part - the name of the genus He, remains Su. And with the case it will be 수가-Su Ga.
For a name, the ending 이 -i is added to the consonant sound. 정이 - Joonee or 욱이 - Ugi.
When the characters call each other, a vocative particle is added to the name. For a name that ends in a vowel, it will be 야-ya, such as 수야-Suya, or if the name ends in a consonant, then 아 is placed after the name, such as 정아-Jeon-ah or 욱아 Ug-ah (Prince Wook).
It is also interesting to pay attention to the hairstyles of men. If a man had a wife, then he was obliged to wear a bump, and unmarried men wore ponytails. So, by the hairstyle, you can understand whether the hero has a wife or not. For everyone who watched the movie. As I understand it, the translation is done with English subtitles, and sometimes the original meaning is lost.
Here is the final dialogue:
Emperor: -멈춰 Stop!
아이는 놓아두고 가라 - Leave the baby and get out!
Jeong: -절 때려죽이기 전에 안됩니다. Until you beat me to death, this will not happen.
Emperor: -그래 Really?
Jeong: 너무 무섭고 외로와서. 그곳에 보내고 싶지 않댔습니다. She asked me to make sure that this child did not live in the palace. It's very scary and lonely. She said that she did not want to send (the child) there. 혜수는 죽을때 까지 그 걱정만 했습니다. Haesu only worried about this until her death.
Emperor: 십사왕자 왕정 너의 귀향형푼다. 14 Prince Wang Jeong, your punishment of exile to your homeland is cancelled.
가끔황궁에 와도좋아. You can sometimes come to the imperial palace.
That is, the king did not go against the will of Hye Soo. He understood everything, but did as she wanted.
And note that the emperor uses rude forms of speech (panmal), and Jeong speaks in formal politeness.
Here are the words and phrases from the movie:
볼모 hostage - polmo
인명제천이다 Heaven determines the fate of a person - In Myung Chae Cheong ida.
황궁가다 to visit the palace - Hwanggun kada
왕 king wang
왕자 prince - wanja (king's son) character 자 means son
공주 princess - kongju
궁녀 court lady/woman from the palace - kunnyeo
흉-hyun scar, scar, flaw
개집 -kechib - a maiden or even a "girl", a woman was called so rudely before, but even now they say so in rude speech
아가씨- Agassi girl, or in the meaning of "young lady"
알겠느냐? Clear? - algenny nya?
웬일이니? What do you need? - wen iri ni?
이 눈빛이 미치게 싫어 - I really hate this look! And nun pitchchi muchhige shiro
날 봐, 날 똑바로 봐 Look at me! Look right at me Nal pva, nal tokparo pva
내가 불상 하지 않아, 동정하 지 않아 You pity me, you sympathize with me! Nega pulsanhaji ana, dongjon haji ana
내 눈에 띄지 마 Stay out of my sight! Ne nune see ma
쉽게 사는 사람은 이 세상에 아무도 없습니다 This world is not easy for everyone! Svipke Sanyn Sarami and Sesane Amudo Opsymnida
안 보일뿐이지 다 들 힘 들어 You can't see it, but it's hard for everyone. An poil puni ji ta dul khimdyro
예전에 전 늘 믿었고 늘 배신당했다 I used to always believe, and I was always betrayed. Yejejone jeon neul midotko neul baesin dan haesso.
그럴거예요. So it will be. Kyrol goey.
내것이다 - This is my (my thing) Ne gosida
난 널 절대 놓치지 않는다 I will never let you go. - Nan zero cholte nochhi ji anynda
가까이서는 절대 안 된다 You shouldn't get close at all. Kakaisonin cholte antvenda
마음 가는 대로 살아 Live the way your soul wants. Mayimy kanyn dero sara
막살아 Live life to the fullest. Mac Sarah
지금 절 놀리시겠습니까? Are you playing me now? Chigym chol nollisigessymnik?
나한테 안 통한다 It won't affect me. It won't work with me. Na han tae an thong handa
사람의 마음은 무섭다는 말이 맞아 It is true that the human soul is a terrible thing. Sarame mayyn musoptanyn mari maja
듣기 싫다 I don't want to hear. sylth poke
망신을 줬다 Disgraced me. Mancinyl chuotta
널 정말 믿어도 괜찮을까? Can you really believe? Zero jongmal midodo gyeonchhaneul kka?
마음대로 해, 난 이제 니 것이다. Do what you want. I am yours now. Mayum dero he, nan izhen ni gosida.
이젠부터 마음 단단히 먹어 Get ready (mentally) from now on. Izhen putho mayim tandani mogo.
나한테 그러지 마 Don't do this to me. On hantha kyroji ma
고집 부리지 마 Don't be stubborn! Kojip puriji ma!
약속이 다르지않아 We didn't agree on that! Yaksogi taryji ana
내가 그랬지 않아. After all, I told you. Nega kyretchi ana
그만 하자 Let's stop there! Kyman Hajja
알았으면 막았을 텐데 If I had known, I would have stopped! Arasymen magasyl thande.
거리를 두고 싶어 I want to be at a distance (from you)
내가 그랬지 않아 I told you so!
지긋지긋해 Unbearable (here)
구지도 말하고 싶지않아 I don't want to tell you
개늑대 wolfhound geeuktae
애쓰지마 don't try! essay ma
사과해 sorry/ sagwa hae
그래도괜찮지? Will it be okay then? / kyredo quenchanchi?
날 잊어 forget me / nal ijo
전부 치워 completely erase jeonbu chiwo
너 말고 나 괴롭히는 사람 없어 There is no one to upset me besides you / but malgo na queophinin saram opso
싫은데 I don't want to! /sirynde
놓아둬라 Let go! /noah tuora
어제 일은 못 본거다 You didn't see anything yesterday!
답답해죽겠어요. Terribly hard on the soul. / taptap hae chukhesso yo
순정 빠져 Looks like innocence! Sunjong ppajo
Scholars find it difficult to specify the exact number of Korean dynasties. There are about 12 ruling houses, information about which is preserved in legends or ancient sources. Only seven royal families are unequivocally distinguished: Ko, Pue, Pak, Sok, Kim, Wang and Li. No one knows how many rulers there were in the history of Korea. Simplifying the picture, three main dynasties are named: Silla, Goryeo and Joseon. However, family ties are sometimes difficult.
The first ruler of the country is mythical. The beginning of the history of Korea is associated with the son of the heavenly god Hwanung, Tangun. According to legend, he founded the Joseon country and after 1.5 thousand years after his reign, he turned into the spirit of the Mountains. Koreans call Tangun the father of the nation, and themselves - his descendants. The chronicle of the leaders of Ancient Joseon is preserved in the collection "Kyuwon Sahwa" (XVII century). According to this ancient document, the descendants of Tangun ruled for a long period.
Dynasties of the Three State Period
After the formation of the three states (Kogure, Baekje and Silla), the inhabitants of each continued to believe that they were descended from Tangun. In Kogure, power was concentrated in the hands of Gongjumon (posthumous name - Dongmyeonson). In 53, a new imperial line came to replace - Taejo and his descendants, in 179 - Hwangdo-Kukne (Kogukchon and descendants), then from 413 - the Pyongyang line (originates from Koryon). The names and dates have come down to us thanks to the famous source "Samguk Sagi".
Another of the three kingdoms was Baekje, and its creator was Onjei (son of the founder of Goguryeo). It is believed that their descendants ruled until 660. In Silla, three families took the reins in turn: Pak, Seok and Kim. Some representatives preferred the status of emperor. During its existence, 56 leaders have changed in Silla. Later, under this name, all three kingdoms united, but due to civil strife, the state fell apart.
Goryeo dynasty
Rulers of Korea from 935 to 1392 belonged to the ruling house of Koryo. Wang Gon is considered to be the ancestor. In Korea, they adhered to the Confucian concept of the "Mandate of Heaven". According to this system, the dynasty receives the right to rule the country for a reason. This is the reward for her wisdom. If the ruling family begins to show cruelty and degrades, Heaven can enthrone other leaders. The fall of the Korean dynasty is considered one of the confirmations that the “mandate” has been lost and the current rulers are no longer able to govern with dignity.
It was also believed that the founders of the new ruling house should be associated with heaven. For example, the birth of such a person or his life is marked by something unusual. Such information has been preserved about the ruler of Korea, Wang Gong. One day, his father met a fortune teller who pointed out a favorable place for building a house. He also mentioned that the future son would unite the lands of the three states. The fortuneteller recommended choosing a name for the child - Van Gon.
This founder of the Korean dynasty was a representative of a well-known feudal family. After coming to power, he changed the name of the state, and Silla obediently obeyed him, so the throne passed legitimately. Later, the troops conquered Later Baekje, thereby completing the unification of the lands. But in most cases, this sage acted carefully - first he sent gifts and sought to negotiate peacefully.
Wang Gong even took a girl from the Silla clan as his wife, legitimizing his own rule. In total he had 29 wives. Wang Gong carried out reforms in the system of state administration. He established 17 departments, of which three were the main ones. He left ten prescriptions as a memory of himself, where he gave recommendations to the future rulers of Korea. Van Gon's wise deeds were noticed, and he was awarded the posthumous title of "Great Progenitor".
His sons became the successor in turn: Hyejon, Jeongjon, Gwangjon. The main task was to reduce the influence of the inner circle on the king. This is what Gwangjong did when he ascended the throne. He first turned his attention to the formation of a strong and stable government. The sovereign carefully studied the available information - for example, he analyzed the rule book "Laws for the Ruler". He continued his father's work by passing laws on the centralization of power. One of them was aimed at freeing slaves. This weakened the power of the estates and increased the tax revenues of former slaves who became peasants.
The people of Korea remember the Koryo dynasty for its numerous reforms. Kwangjong decided that from now on, to get the position of an official, it is necessary to pass an exam. The innovation not only opened the way for literate people, but also limited the influence of “strong families”. Changes also affected the economic sphere. By the end of the 10th century, thanks to Gwangjong, the situation stabilized.
The son and grandson of this talented leader continued to work on change. They introduced additional rules for governing the country, which made it possible to centralize the state system. Under Yechzhon (1106-1112), they decided to divide the territory into provinces. The metropolitan region was administered separately. They took care of a well-functioning communication system and roads, built postal stations. Now the capital could be reached from any part of the country.
In the 11th century, the military seized power. During this period, this kind of dynasty of Korea was not interrupted. But the dignitaries who accompanied King Uijong were killed. The sovereign was sent into exile, and his younger brother Menchzhong was put on the throne. He ruled the country formally, but in fact everything was controlled by the military. Civilians tried to restore the previous state of affairs, raised an uprising. Then the Buddhist monks opposed such "guardianship". But the positions remained quite strong, and the power of the military became hereditary and continued until the middle of the XII century. The changes were facilitated by the "help" of the Mongolian troops.
In the history of Korea, the Goryeo dynasty occupies an important place. In the XIII century. the monarchs turned out to be puppets in the hands of the Mongol khans. When the enemy state weakened, the Koreans began to fight against the intruders. In the XIV century. after liberation from the yoke of enemies, feudal associations began to fight among themselves. The conspirators killed King Gongmin, and two decades later they overthrew another - Gongyang. In the history of Korea after the Koryo dynasty, another one left its mark - Li.
Li (Yi) or Joseon dynasty
The founder of the next dynasty, Li Songye, was the son of a feudal lord. During the battles with the Mongols, he managed to show his best side. In addition, he was well known as an excellent commander and reformer. He was positively treated not only by the military, but also by other categories of the population: landowners, officials, neo-Confucians. The first steps of this representative of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea were bloody - he exterminated almost the entire Wang clan. The name "Kore" was changed to "Joseon".
Like their predecessors, the representatives of the new ruling house called themselves "kings" - vans. This meant their dependence on the Emperor. According to Confucian ideology, he could only be one and ruled over China. The rest were considered his vassals and paid conditional tribute. Each van was agreed in Beijing, but it was a formality. When tribute was sent to China, gifts of about the same value were sent in return.
The Joseon Dynasty in Korea lasted for a long time - about 500 years (XIV-XIX). During her reign, politics and science came to the fore. They came up with an alphabet, changed the political system, introduced a system of governorship. Influence was exerted by neighboring Japan, which sought to destroy the local culture. But after World War II, the country was liberated. Historians point to a policy of isolation that caused the collapse of the dynasty in 1910. The rule of the Li dynasty is divided into three periods: early, late, modern.
Initially, feudal domination was strengthened, the mechanism of governing the country was reorganized. In the 15th century, progress appeared in culture, economy and the military field. Agricultural technology developed, which made it possible to process more fields - the yield increased. The military power increased, and thanks to this, they rebuffed foreign aggressors. In the history of Korea, the Li rulers of the early period remained as reformers. Achievements were in different areas: astronomy, geography, mechanics, art. Confucianism became the ideology of the people. Many cultural achievements took place during the reign of Sejong (1418-1450). In terms of their importance, they are compared with the era of Peter I in Russia. But the rebellions did not stop, the peasants regularly raised uprisings. Because of this, in the XVI century. the feudal system was weakened. I also had to go through the Imjin War, where the nation defended its independence.
The late period united the time interval from the 17th to the middle of the 19th century. Production was restored, commodity-money relations were actively spreading. The Joseon Dynasty in Korea contributed to the development of capitalist relations. The feudal system gradually disintegrated.
The modern history of government began in the 1860s. Residents fought against the aggressive behavior of foreigners: an American ship was sunk, then the invasion of the French fleet was repelled. In the middle of the XIX century. under the leadership of Kim Ok Gyun, they introduced a bourgeois reform. In the history of Korea, the rulers of the Li dynasty lasted until 1897.
Gojong and Sujong, the last rulers of Joseon, are often condemned for their failure to act. They are accused of the inability to find the right allies and unite the country, the lack of the necessary reforms and modernization, ignoring the interests of the peasantry. Emperor Sujong was forced to sign an annexation treaty, and for 35 years Korean territory became a colony of Japan. To what extent are the rulers to blame for this turn in the history of Korea? Researchers and historians are still looking for the answer to this question.
Korean dynasties and the modern era
After the creation of the Republic of Korea, there was no talk of the return of the Lee clan. The heir to the Korean throne, Lee Eun, sought to take his place again. After 1945, he repeatedly made attempts to return, but the South Korean ruler Syngman Rhee and the government rejected the requests. In the 60s, he nevertheless arrived in Seoul with his wife and son Li Gu. The family lived in one of the royal palaces, which was still their property. Lee Eun died in 1970. His son graduated from a prestigious institution in the United States, married an American and received US citizenship. After some time, he returned to Seoul, where he ran a construction company. Today Lee Gu lives in Korea and occasionally participates in clan ceremonies.
Interestingly, some representatives of the ruling dynasty underwent a coronation ceremony. Today, Lee Haewon (Gojong's granddaughter) calls herself the "Empress of Korea in Exile", but her claim to the throne is not supported by society. Even within the family there is strife over headship. But according to the Koreans, along with the loss of power, the ruling house of Lee lost the "Mandate of Heaven."
Part I - A common history of two states.
An old woman with a bowl.
In the early 90s, I was lucky to visit South Korea, the city of Busan. In those days, Korean goods were not as famous as they are now. On hearing, there was a Japanese brand. Nevertheless, our compatriots have already made their way to shops in Korea. I will not hide, this cup has not passed me. With a shortage of goods, at that time in our country, spending 1 million won, which is about $ 1,000 in Korea, was not a big deal. What was and was done in the first days of arrival. I still had a couple of days left in Korea, so I will briefly tell about one of these days. I will not hide, for a person who went abroad for the first time, many things were new. Wide and perfectly clean central streets, with high-rise glass buildings along the roads, attracted my attention. On the first floor, most of the buildings, there were shops and offices. The city seemed extinct in the daytime, rare cars drove along wide highways, and if a passer-by met, most often it was a compatriot with another purchase.)) So, running away from my compatriots and from the May heat, from the central avenue, I dived into the alley and entered the old quarter. Here in one of the alleys, I came across this old woman with a basin. Two rows of houses and a paved pavement, about four meters wide, which stretched for a very long distance. In the middle of an empty street, right on the stones, there was an old Korean woman with a basin in which she munched chopped seaweed for a long time and methodically. This whole picture was completed by the exit of this street to the modern highway, where new, modern buildings flaunted. That's how the image of old and new Korea was deposited in my mind for a long time. This image has been controversial. And only in the future, studying the history and culture of Korea, I realized that there would not be that modern Korea, without this grandmother with a basin. There would not be that spirit of the country, which is deeply rooted in its history. And which is celebrated in everything, at every step, stay in Korea.
A bit of history
If we want to understand what modern Korea is, then we can't do without it. I will try to highlight only the most interesting moments of history that Koreans honor and that every visiting foreigner encounters.
Ancient Joseon - The first proto-state in Korea
According to legend, the Lord of the Sky Hvanin (identified with Indra by Buddhists) had a son Hvanun, who wanted to live on earth among valleys and mountains. Hwanin allowed his son to descend with 3,000 followers to Mt. Baekdu, where he founded Sinsi, the City of God. Together with his Ministers of Rain, Cloud and Wind, Hwanung established laws and moral norms for the people, taught them various crafts, medicine, and cultivation of the land.
The tiger and the bear prayed to Hwanung to become human, upon hearing them, Hwanung gave them 20 cloves of garlic and a stalk of wormwood, telling them to only eat this sacred food and avoid sunlight for 100 days. The tiger could not stand it and left the cave after 20 days, but the bear remained and soon turned into a woman. The female bear, Unnyeo was grateful and made offerings to Hwanung. But soon Unnyo became sad and asked near the sacred tree Sindansu to have a child. Hwanung, touched by her request, took her as his wife and soon she gave birth to a son named Tangun Wang.
Tangun inherited his father's throne, built a new capital, Asadal, near present-day Pyongyang (the location is still debated among historians), and named his kingdom Joseon, which modern historians call Gojoseon to avoid confusion with the later Joseon kingdom.
According to Samguk Yusa, Tangun began to rule in 2333 BC. e., according to the description in "Dongguk Tonnam" (1485) in the 50th year of the reign of the Chinese Emperor Yao. Other sources give different dates, but they all place the beginning of Tangun's reign at the time of Yao's reign (2357 BC-2256 BC). According to some sources, Tangun lived for 1908 years, according to others ("Eunje siju") - 1048 years.
In any case, October 3, Tangun Day, is celebrated as the founding day of the nation, and the cult of Tangun has a significant number of adherents. Koreans are counting their history, it is from this date - 2333 BC. e .. That is, in their yard, now 4348 from the birth of Tangun.)))
I would like to know their legends just like the Koreans. In our yard, according to the old summer reckoning, it would now be the year 7525.
Let's get back to our Koreans.
108 BC e. Ancient Joseon was conquered by the Chinese Han Empire, establishing four Chinese districts.
three kingdoms
from 57 to 19 century BC three states are formed.
Pak Hyokse founded the state of Silla.
Jumong founded the state of Goguryeo.
Onjo - founded the state of Baekje.
I will not bore readers with all the stages of internecine wars of these kingdoms. I will only note that in 370-380 AD, Buddhism penetrated these territories.
And after centuries of battles, in 668, Silla wins, which controls most of the peninsula.
koryo
Koryo - short for Goguryeo (Korean 고구려) is the name of one of the Korean tribes.
918 - Wang Gong founds the kingdom of Goryeo, which in 935 absorbs Silla.
So in 936 - Goryeo completes the unification of Korean lands and forms a single state on the entire peninsula.
In official documents, Goryeo referred to itself as an empire. The capital of Kaesong was called "the capital of the empire (Kor. 皇都)", the royal palace - "the imperial palace (Kor. 皇城)." Other terms such as Your Majesty (Korean 陛下), Prince (Korean 太子), Empress (Korean 太后) also suggest the state's imperial status.
For many years, Koryo has been at war with the Khitans (Chinese) - nomadic Mongol tribes who in ancient times inhabited the territory of modern Inner Mongolia, Mongolia and Manchuria
1270 - The Mongols capture Goryeo. The beginning of the 80-year Mongol yoke.
After the Mongol invasion, the term "empire" was no longer applied to Koryo due to the occupation of the country by the Mongols.
The rest of the story is very dark and ambiguous.
Goryeo in 1388, in order to contain the great power pressure of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, sent an expeditionary army of almost 40,000 to Liaodong. Lee Song-gye then commanded its right wing, which was equal to the position of deputy commander of the expedition. In order to usurp power, Lee Song Ge with his accomplices on the island of Vihwa abandoned the campaign against Liaodong and turned back the expeditionary army. After this betrayal, they took real political power in the state into their own hands, expelling many opposition officials from the central government. And having formed a new state of Joseon, instead of Goryeo.
Joseon
1392 - Lee Song-gye is crowned, the official start of the Joseon Dynasty.
In 1394, Confucianism was adopted as the official religion.
1446 - King Sejong announces the development of the Hangul Korean alphabet.
1592 - The Imjin War begins, a series of invasions by Japanese forces under the command of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
1627 - First Manchu invasion of Korea.
1636 - Second Manchu invasion of Korea.
In 1637, the Manchu army defeated Joseon, which was forced to submit, become a "tributary" of the Qing Empire and break off relations with China.
The internal politics of Joseon were entirely controlled by the Confucian bureaucracy and depended on China (where the Manchus ruled until 1911). Despite attempts to adapt Western advances, Joseon remained a closed country.
General history
Then you have to expand the scope of history a little and go beyond Korea.
Clashes with the Russians on the northern border of Manchuria begin with the Russo-Chinese War of 1658, during which the Russians also met the Koreans for the first time.
The result of the military confrontation was the Nerchinsk Treaty signed in 1689, according to which the Amur, Argun and Gorbitsa rivers were made the Russian-Chinese border.
During the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), part of Manchuria was occupied by the Japanese, but returned to China under the Shimonoseki Treaty.
The weakening of the Qing government led to the strengthening of Russian influence in Manchuria and Korea, which was gradually included in the sphere of Russian commercial and political interests. This was largely due to the allied treaty concluded in 1896, after the defeat of the troops of the Qing Empire in the Japanese-Chinese war.
In 1900, as a result of the uprising of the Boxers, the CER region in Manchuria was occupied by Russian troops.
In 1903, Russia established the Viceroyalty of the Far East in Port Arthur, and the Russian government considered the project of securing Manchuria as "Zeltorossiya", the basis of which was to be the Kwantung Region established in 1899, the right-of-way of the CER, the formation of a new Cossack army and settlement by Russian colonists.
Japan's claims to Manchuria and Korea and the refusal of the Russian Empire to withdraw Russian troops from Manchuria and Korea in violation of the allied treaty led to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the theater of operations of which was all of southern Manchuria up to Mukden. And which Russia successfully lost. The war ended with the Peace of Portsmouth, signed on August 23 (September 5), 1905, which fixed Russia's cession to Japan of the southern part of Sakhalin and its lease rights to the Liaodong Peninsula and the South Manchurian Railway.
1910 - Japan annexes Korea.
1916 - The last wave of anti-Japanese Uibyon uprisings.
1919 - The March 1st movement is dispersed by the military and police.
1920s - "Cultural Management Era" of Governor-General Saito Makoto.
1945 - After the surrender of Japan, the Korean Peninsula will be divided into zones of influence of the USSR and the USA along the 38th parallel.
1948 - Independent regimes are established in North and South Korea, led respectively by Kim Il Sung and Lee Syngman.
1950 - Beginning of the Korean War.
1953 - The formal end of the Korean War, officially the peace treaty has not been signed so far.
South Korea was ruled for decades by military dictators who pursued a policy of modernizing the country. In the late 1980s, the country became a democratic state.
Afterword
The name Korea itself does not exist in the Korean language, this name is adopted by Europeans. Some associate this name from the historical Goryeo dynasties. But one way or another, the Koreans themselves Officially call the DPRK - (kor. 조선 민주주의 인민공화국- Joseon minjujui inmin konhwaguk) and the Republic of Korea (kor. 대한민국- Taehan minguk).
Today, the colloquial name for Korea in South Korea is Daehan or Hanguk, with South Korea being called Namhan (남한, 南韓; "Southern Han") and North Korea being Bukhan (북한, 北韓; "Northern Han"). Less formally, southerners call KNDRIbuk (이북, 以北; "North").
The DPRK uses the names Joseon for Korea, Namjoseon (남조선, 南朝鮮; "Southern Joseon") for South Korea, and Bukjoseon (북조선, 北朝鮮; "Northern Joseon") for North Korea.
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